Helping Soldiers One Push-Up At A Time

Every day more and more troops come home from overseas with injuries both physical and mental. In some cases, they have a hard time supporting themselves, let alone a family.

A weekend competition in Sioux Falls is hoping to get soldiers the financial help they need while having fun at the same time.

Iraqi war veteran Troy Yucom walked across the US twice to raise money for soldiers’ families. When his organization, Active Heroes, started having a hard time getting help to all that needed it, they went to Anytime Fitness to see if there was anything they could do. That's when they created the "Tough Hero Competition."

"Everyone can do a push up, who can't do one push up," Tough Hero Participant Cuong Nguyen said.

They're calling it the "Tough Hero Competition" but you don't really need to be a hero or all that tough to take part. Nguyen will be seeing how many pushups he can do.

"I'm a veteran as well and for me it was hands up right away. I knew that I was going to do it and anytime I can give back to my brothers and sisters it's absolutely going to happen," Sioux Falls Anytime Fitness manager Adam Long said.

They're going to be doing push ups, sit ups, pull ups, and a bench press competition. And while it's meant to be a good time, the true meaning goes much deeper.

"You know, there’s thousands of veteran families that are in a lot of financial need right now. Not only financial, they're just hurting. Since 2003 these men and women have been gone for an unbelievable amount of time. Some people have done three and four tours and it's really taken a toll on families," Long said.

They will be giving out prizes from Max Muscle, Billion, Scheels and Walmart.

You can pre-register at either Anytime Fitness in Sioux Falls or at Max Muscle or you can just show up.

The Tough Hero competition kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday morning at the gym's location near 26th Street and Marion Road.